Percy Bahmani: Parsi Powerlifter

Why this veteran has set his hopes for a dying community on a weightlifting competition.

Percy Farhad Bahmani runs a farm in Dahanu. But his calm exterior hides a great love and passion for martial arts and weight lifting. For the last 16 years, he, along with a dedicated group of Parsis have been gathering once a year to show the strength, if not in their numbers, then in their arms. For Percy, the annual Zoroastrian Powerlifting Championship is not just a competition, but a way to meet his friends from the fading Parsi community. He sees the event as a great way for young Parsi boys and girls to meet each other, connect over shared passions, and who knows, someday tie the knot!

101 Traces looks at the last of anything: ethnic communities, folk craftsmen, disappearing trades, forgotten people. It sketches portraits of these unique individuals, locked in a battle they cannot win: a battle against the future. Together, they represent the dying whispers of ancient heritage and traditional individuality. As India moves towards homogenized global pop culture, 101 Traces honors the people, the objects, and the skills that connect us to our ancient identity.